Open defecation along the railway tract: a prominent cause of water pollution

Fecal pollution and open defecation leads to contaminating the drinking water and that causes water borne diseases. The aim of study was to study the effect of open defecation on household drinking water in the Amravati city. The study was conducted by collecting water samples (fresh and residual) from total 220 families which include 104 open defecation not free (ODNF) families along the railway line and 116 open defecation free (ODF) families. The study showed that 97% drinking water samples were potable before used and the quality of drinking water deteriorated to 56(55%) significantly after use in water sample collected from ODNF families. Total 22(23%) thermotolerant E coli were found in the drinking water samples of ODNF families. In the ODF families, 105(90%) samples were potable and 11(10%) samples were contaminated before used and 29(28%) sample were converted from potable to nonpotable after used. Thermotolerant E coli were found in 12 (11%) samples. Further, the study indicated that the total 85 (41%) drinking water samples was converted from potable to nonpotable and thermotolerant coliform was found in 34(17%) samples. The study conclude that the percentage of contamination was more in open defecation not free (ODNF) families as compare to the open defecation free families ODF, specially along the railway line contamination of drinking water was very high. Hence open defecation should be banned along the railway track and hygienic condition be maintained around the houses and surrounding and awareness on the open defecation should be increased in the society. Key wordsRailway line, open defecation, fecal contamination, drinking water, nonpotable